Zack and Wiki: a return to form for the adventure genre

Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure is likely to be one of the sleeper …

There has been a lot of outcry on the forums and in e-mails about our lack of Zack & Wiki coverage. We hear you. I'm hoping to quell the furor today by finally talking about a Wii game that certainly deserves the attention. I'm talking, of course, about Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure.

I was finally able to sit down with a borrowed copy of the title last night and, though I was extremely skeptical, I've got to say that those fighting to get the title more recognition are certainly doing so for good reason.

Using the Wii remote, you manipulate various parts of the environment to solve puzzles; there is no direct control of your character. The game is certainly true to its point-and-click predecessors. Interacting with objects is often accompanied with a Wii remote motion, such as chopping down boards that bar your way, twisting cranks, and so forth. The true joy of the game comes from using objects you come across in creative ways to solve the various puzzles.

It starts of slow but eventually you'll be left scratching your head in a good way; the puzzle design is excellent from start to finish, and there's a genuine feeling of reward from completing some of the more elaborate sequences. And the game does all this while looking great to boot, with some wonderful art direction accentuated by the expert use of cel-shading and some extremely strong animation. Other players can actually join in and point at things with their own Wiimotes, making this an odd sort of party game for fans of brain-teasers.

At $39.99, Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure is an easy title to recommend—especially if you're a fan of the seemingly extinct adventure genre. Though now may not seem like the best time to pick it up given the surrounding releases, you should keep your eyes out for a copy nonetheless: it may not be around later to scoop up so easily. This is a game that uses the Wii controls very well, does its own thing, and is already picking up a cult-like following. Check it out—we don't think you'll be disappointed.